Show Review : The Greatest Of All Tours rolls through Wheatland

By Ryan Renger

Wheatland, California got treated to the Greatest Of All Tours on Thursday night, courtesy of The Ghost Inside, Halestorm, and Volbeat. It was a rambunctious night of great music that certainly entertained the Northern California crowd who yearned for more. Even if there was lightning scattering the sky and the threat of heavy rain coming down from the dark grey clouds, everyone had a fun time. 

That fun time started with Jonathan Vigil and The Ghost Inside taking the stage for a thirty-minute set of pure rage and destruction. TGI opened their set with Going Under, the lead-off track from their newest album, Searching for Solace. Although it wouldn’t seem that The Ghost Inside would fit on the same bill as Halestorm and Volbeat, the metalcore mainstays from Los Angeles were the perfect opener for this leg of the tour. They ripped through a set that included both old and new, playing 4 tracks off of Searching for Solace, two from their breakthrough album Dear Youth, and closed the night out with Aftermath from their triumphant self-titled record. After finishing this leg of the tour, TGI will head down under for a string of shows across Australia with Bleed from Within. They are not a band to miss and will put on a fantastic show, whether opening or closing. 

Hard Rock hitters Halestorm took the stage next with rain droplets starting to fall and thunder roaring loudly. Although that thunder wasn’t loud enough as the wall of amps that adorned the stage overpowered the clouds with the guitars of Lzzy Hale and Joe Hottinger screeching loud alongside the sound of thousands of roaring fans. Their set was full of hits with everything from I Miss The Misery to Love Bites. Hale and her band were the stars of the night. Their show delivered on all cylinders, with the sound on point and the headbanging off the walls. The greatest moment of the night came as the band closed their set. Just days after the passing of the Prince of Darkness, Halestorm paid tribute to the metal legend with a perfect cover of Perry Mason. There wasn’t a person who didn’t sing along. The crowd’s voice raged on as the band took their final bows; they wanted more. For those who want more, they don’t have to wait long. Halestorm will be traveling across America again this fall as a headliner supporting their new album, Everest, which releases on August 8th. 

It was a crowd participation night for Volbeat’s set. In an unfortunate turn of events, Michael Poulsen, Volbeat’s frontman, was dealing with an illness that made him lose his voice. Although his voice was fading fast, it was in full swing for the first couple of songs, including another tribute to Ozzy, with the band opening their night with a partial cover of Children of the Grave. As the night progressed, Poulsen took to the microphone less, but that did not stop the fun in the slightest. The crowd considered it a challenge to be loud enough to make the entire Sacramento area hear them. The Danish rockers were visibly disappointed with being unable to put on as great a show as they are known for, but it was still a great time. For those who want to experience Volbeat in their whole element, plenty of dates remain on the Greatest Of All Tours run, with shows in the South, Midwest, and East Coast. Volbeat are one of the best rock bands of this generation, and even barring illness, will make for a memorable night that you should check out!

Volbeat